Justice News

Teacher Sentenced For Receiving Child Pornography

ATLANTA - William Villemez has been sentenced to five years in prison for receiving and possessing child pornography.

“Child pornography is a horrendous crime that involves the sexual abuse and exploitation of the most innocent members of society,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “It is particularly distressing when a teacher purchases and downloads child pornography. Thanks to the vigilance of our law enforcement partners, this teacher will no longer be around students but will be going to federal prison.”

“Postal Inspectors are charged with protecting the U.S. mail from illegal use. As long as criminals use the U.S. mail to exploit children, the Postal Inspection Service will continue to make these types of investigations a top priority,” said Keith Morris, Postal Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division.

“Crime against children continues to be a top priority for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. We are committed to work with our federal law enforcement counterparts and bring to justice those who exploit children,” said Vernon M. Keenan, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director.

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: Between July 2008 and March 2011, Villemez ordered 32 DVD’s containing images of child pornography and child erotica from a website based outside the United States. He spent more than $750 for those DVD’s. Law enforcement traced those orders to Villemez’s home in Smyrna, Ga. During the execution of a search warrant in October 2012, agents found that Villemez had not only purchased the DVD’s but had also downloaded child pornography onto his computer. During the period that he was receiving DVD’s in the mail and downloading computer images of child pornography, Villemez taught drama and dance to middle-school students at Pace Academy in Atlanta.

Villemez, 30, of Acworth, Ga., has been sentenced to five years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. He was convicted on these charges on April 19, 2013, after he pleaded guilty.

This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Cobb County Police Department.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.